Aaron Hotchner One-Shots

On Deaf Ears

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Derek Morgan

Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Derek Morgan, Jack Hotchner, The BAU Team (in brief snippets)

Summary: After the SUV explosion Hotch's life changes drastically, but Derek can help bring back the pieces he misses so dearly

Warnings: A little angst, hurt-comfort, crying, medication

A/N: Okay so I actually love Hotchgan but I don't write a lot for them (maybe that'll change) but if it's not your cup of tea feel free to skip :)

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All Hotch wanted to do on the ride home from New York was sleep. He didn't want to think about how Derek was there to help him; he didn't want to think about the accident. For once, he just wanted sleep.

And Derek wished he could say that Hotch at least looked comfortable, but he slept with his brows furrowed, creased into a frown. He didn't look relaxed. The way he shifted in his seat, one hand tightly gripping the seatbelt until his knuckles went white.

He was in pain.

So Derek, like any person noticing a friend who was hurt, pulled over.

"Hey Hotch," he said. "Hotch,"

When there was no answer he tapped his shoulder a few times until he looked up and blinked away the tiredness.

Derek said something else, but it was clear by the look on Hotch's face that he couldn't hear. So as a reminder, Hotch pulled out a small crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Derek.

I'm deaf

It was like he could see it coming; like he knew someone was going to slip up and forget until they all got used to it.

Derek nodded his head and tried to gesture to the medication and water bottle instead, but Hotch shook his head.

"Come on man don't be stubborn," Derek grumbled and tried to open the prescription bottle of medication when Hotch put his hand over his and grabbed the bottle from him, pointing harshly to the instructions.

TAKE ONE EVERY SIX HOURS

It had been three since he last took it.

Derek sighed and tried to say,

"Why didn't you just say that?"

Making up some sort of makeshift sign language that got his point across. Hotch didn't respond and only sank back into his seat and looked out the window, hearing only the constant white noise in his ears.

He could have spoken up, Derek was right, but he hated doing that now. Every time he talked he was too loud, unable to hear himself speak. The normally soft-spoken Unit Chief had turned into a loud yelling man, and completely unintentionally.

He couldn't handle the embarrassment when Derek motioned his hand downward, telling him to lower his volume. If being deaf meant he didn't speak either then so be it.

Derek, slightly annoyed with the lack of response, turned the car back on and drove back out onto the highway before pulling into one of the gas stations along the way.

He parked in the small lot and stepped out of the car, and Hotch, wanting to know what he was up to, followed him.

He could see him speak to the person at the cash register who pointed him in a certain direction, when Derek came back towards the register to pay, he noticed a small pocket notebook in his hand along with a pen.